Optical proximity correction method and apparatus

An apparatus for correcting a layout design for optical proximity correction errors, comprising:

• a design layout file containing the layout design;
• and
• a design rule checker configured to iteratively correct the layout design, such that a set of features having a selected inter-feature spacing are corrected, based on a correction value derived from a non-linear correction curve, before a next set of features having another selected inter-feature spacing;
• wherein the design rule checker continues to iteratively correct the layout design until a predetermined number of sets of features are corrected.

In a system for performing optical proximity correction on a layout design file, a process comprising:

• (a) identifying features having a particular width from the layout design file;
• (b) selecting a set of features from the identified features having a predetermined inter-feature spacing, the inter-feature spacing being defined by edges of the selected set of features;
• and
• (c) correcting the selected set of features based on a correction value derived from a non-linear correction curve, the correcting being performed on the edges of the selected set of features.